Shuttle car



March 27, 1945. E. J. DoBERsTElN 'SHUTTLE GAR Filed Sept. 24, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1945. E. J. DoBERsTElN SHUTTLE CAR 'Filed sept. 24, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENToR. fmwdjomffev Mor/zg' l MSW March 27, 1945.` E, J, DOBERSEIN 2,372,475

SHUTTLE CAR March 27, 1945 E. J. DoBERsTElN SHUTTLE CAR Filed Sept. 24, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bmw/ Jim1/neg l on said tread devices.

Patented Mar. 27, 1945 Edward J. Doberstein,

Blue Island, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application September 24, 1943, Serial No. 503,609

4 Claims.

sis thereof to facilitate loading and unloading of the car in confined places. Y

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specication'proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:`

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a shuttle car constructed in accordance withmy invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the shuttle car shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view-in side elevation of the central part of the car, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in substantially longitudinal section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial fragmentary transverse sectional View taken through .the shuttle car; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the central part of the shuttle car, with lcertain parts broken away and certain other yparts shown in horizontal section.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, a coal haulage vehicle or shuttle car is indicated generally at I0. Said vehicle consists of an elongated material carrying bodyl II pivotally mounted on a vpairof laterally spaced continuous treaddevices I2, I2, for movement about a vertical axis. Said body has a. pair of vertically spaced side walls I4, .I4 extending its full length and forming the side walls of a coal carrying compartment I5 thereof.

Said side walls are flared outwardly at the receiving end of the car, as indicated by reference characters I6, I6 to providea widened receiving hopper and to facilitate loading by the boom of a loading machine. The bottom of the material carrying compartment of the car is dened by a conveyer indicated generally by reference character I1.

The mounting of the body I I on the continuous tread devices I2, I2 includes a frame I8 mounted Said frame has an upper I9 of a circular formation in plan. A

portion 20 depends from said upper portion central boss (see Figure 4). A flanged bearing 2| is mounted 55 in said boss and forms a bearing for a depending central cylindrical portion22 of aturntable 23.

A lflanged bearing 24 extends around the periphery of said circular frame I8 and forms a bearing for the outer portion of said turntable. A flange 25 is herein shown as being formed integral with and depending said turntable. The inner periphery of said flange abuts the outer periphery of the flanged bearing 24. vA retaining member 26 is secured to thefunderside of said flange 2,5 and extends inwardly therefrom and slidably abuts the under side of the circular frame I8, to prevent tilting movement of said turntable with respect to said frame I9. -A bottom plate 2l of the body II is suitably mounted on and secured to said turntable, so the material carrying compartment of the car may pivot about the frame I8 about a fixed vertical axis, to position the conveyer Il in any desired angular position with respect to the continuous tread devices I2, I2.

Two parallel spaced longitudinally extending supporting plates 28 and 29 depend from each side of the frame I3 and extend therealong beyond the ends thereof. Said supporting plates are adapted to have a continuous tread 30 of a continuous tread device I2, mounted therebetween. A drive sprocket 3I is .mounted between said plates, adjacent one end thereof, and meshes with the continuous tread 30 for driving said sprocket, on bearing blocks 34, 3d. Said bearing blocks are slidably mounted in longitudinal guides 35, 35, which are herein shown as beine` secured to the ends of' said plates and as forming a continuation thereof. Threaded rods 36, 36 having nuts 31, 3l thereon, are provided to adjustably move said bearing 4blocks along` said guides, to adjust the tension of the associated continuous tread, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

A separate motor 4I is provided to drive each traction device. As herein shown, said motors depend from and are mounted beneath and at opposite ends of the frame I8.l Said motors may be of any well known form but are herein shown as being electric motors having a standard form of speed reducing means contained in the end casing therefor (not shown). 'A chain and sprocket drive 42 is provided to operatively confrom the periphery of An idler 33 is mounted at the ends of said plates, opposite from said drive.A

nect each speed reducing means and motor with an associated drive sprocket 3l. Independent control means of any well known form may be provided to control operation of said motors so the two treads may operate together, for propelling the vehicle in a straight line or so said tracks may be operated independently either in forward or reverse directions, for manipulating the vehicle around corners. Said *control means for said motors is not herein shown or described since it is no part of my present invention.

The means for turning the turntable 23 and body II includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending uid cylinders 45, 45V, having piston rods 46, 46 extensible therefrom. As herein shown, each of said cylinders is mounted on a pair of longitudinally spaced bracket members 41, 48 lextending laterally from the outer supporting plate 29. A sheave supporting block ll is mounted on the 'outer end of each piston rod 46 and Ihas la sheave v5I mounted "on 'the lupper iside thereof onfapin 52 threaded vin :said block. Said sheave supporting block, as herein show-n, is provided with opposite ff'acing I2l-rainnelled guides 53, 53, `adliacent Yit'slower1en`ds, which are adapted to register with 'a pair of inwardly -facing .gibs 54, 154 of a longitudinal "guide memberv55. Said guide member extends `parallel with -`and. lis :secured to and spaced laterally 'if'rom 'the vouter plate 29.

'A iiex-ible cable 56 lis secured #at one 'of i-ts -fends to the 'sheave supporting block A5I] by 'means foi a clamping member 51, 4in a Well known manner (see Figure f5). Said `V`cable y'extends from ysaid clam-ping member in a 'direction away from the sheave 5I, to and l"around a-isheave 559 ymounted just rearwardly of the head "end of the cylinder 45, on `a vertioal `pivotal pin Ylill. -Said Cable extends around'saidisheave and alongjthe cylinder 45 and ypiston rod-46, to and around fthe sheave 5I. From thence ysaid 'cable extends along said piston rod and Lcylinder, to and around a sheave 6I, montedfo'n lthe pivotal pin -60, -just beneath the 'sheave 59. rSaid cable 'extendsffrom said last lmentioneds'heave to va vgroove 53, vformed in the outer -pe'ripheryiof the 'depending-circular ange of 'the turntable '23, and around Jsaid groove to a *clamping @member 64 lajdjaoent `vthe longitudinal ceritenof *said IJturntable and the body l'|I. L'suitable nuid "valves andAconneations,'

are provided to 'independently `control `the "passage of ui'd under lpressure ft'o and from "the head endso'f said duid 'cylinders 45, i45, so 'one fof said c'ylindersmaybe fused to turn said'body 1I'I "in one direction, vwhile the A'opposite cylinder `rnay'b'e used to tu'rn 'said body 'in the 'oppositedire'ction in an 4obvious manner. Y

The `'plate 2-1, mounted on `'the Vturntable "23, extends laterall-y'beyond opposite =`sides `o'f V"the side walls I4, I4 and forms "the bottom for-'suit'- able compartments 66,65 Vfor storag'ebatterles "or an electric cable reel, and the electricalcontrol equipment `for the car of fthe usual-kind.

Thelside walls I4, 14 Aextend a substantial 4'distance beyond opposite ends o'f A'the traction treads 30, 30, and the overhangingportions of said-side walls also vslope `'downwardly from the turntable 23, `beneath the ,tops 'of said treads, "t0 increase the carrying Jcapacity lof-the "car 'Without increa'sing the Vertical height thereof. A plate l6=1 is spaced above -the plate :21-and1connec'ts said side walls together iand `forms Yla Ibottom for the 'ma-- terial vcarrying compartment of .the car. SSaid plate, as `herein shown, is substantially librizontal at the central :portion of the -Ibodyandli-ts ends slope downwardly to conform to the downwardly sloping ends of the side walls I4, I4, to form a continuous conveyer bottom having oppositely sloping ends. The lower ends of said side Walls I4, I4 are connected together by means of the bottom plate 21, which extends along and conforms to the slope of the lower ends or said ,side walls.

yA shield 68 extends horizontally "across the rear of the material carrying compartment I5 and conveyor I1, between the side Walls I4, I4. Said shield is arched upwardly at a level somewhat 'above the level of the conveyor, and terminates into -a rear bumper 69. This shield and :bumper serve to protect the conveyor from the loading boom.of a loading machine, when said loading boom is extended directly into the rear end of the shuttle 'car during loading.

vAn operators compartment 10 is provided at the forward end of the left-hand side wall I4, and projects llaterally therefrom and includes a pair 'of facing ."sea't's 1I.,1I so 4arranged `that the operator may `face in vthe direction the car 'is moving, .when the direction of travel of 'the car is reversed. The control means for the `'car 'and conveyor fare .carried yin s'aid operators compartmentland 'are inotlherein shownor described since they lf'orm no @part fof the present invention.

The conveyor I1 includes `-a pair o'f laterally spaced endless v"chains l13, 13 connected vtogether by means of alplurality fof spaced nights 14, 1'4.V

-Said chains and flights extend valong 'the inner sides 'of the sidewalls I4, I4 and fare movable along 'the v'top of the plate 61, to progress ma terial 'there'along Hold-'down 'guides 15, "15 are secured to the inner sides of said side walls II4, I `4 'and extend inwardly 'therefrom `'over vvsaid chains 'to rem -a nnelladown means therefor.'

The-idlers 316, v`156 n"are mounted 'on a transverse shaft 19, journaled at its ends in bearing blocks 80, y8u, 'which 4are 'sli'dalil-y mounted in longitudinal "guides 81, `8|, ferned 'in the lower-ends of opposite-side plates F4, "I4, AThrended screws U2, 82 serve to adjustably -meve cs'aid bearing blocks in ssaid gllde's, "t'o n4linke. up slack -in 'the cl'iailis 13, l13, A-in La 'manner l'Well 'known 'to lthose skilled in the nrt.-

"Thedrive 'to 'said conveyor "includes an electric Vm'otor 84 h'er'e'in shownjas being mountedfon the outer s'i'defofthe sidewall I4, opposite ffrom the vop'era'torisplatform 1U. 'Sa'id motoris suitably y'connected to "a ydrive -sha'ft v85, having the drive sprockets 11, z1-1"mounted ythereon, 'throughl a 'Worinfand worin VAgear reduction, in 4ac'asing Alindicated generally "at "8f1, -and- `a ch'ainand sprocket drive LV88, driven fby the 'worm gear of said f-w'orrn and 'worm lgear reduction., `A 'nuid pump &9 Ais driven lfrom the y"oppositeend o'f said motor, lto supply nulli underpressure to the cylinderssta. It may be se'en '-:trom v'ithe foregoing that anovel flfn l'Of Shuttle Car of fa IOW and 'fcelpa't C'Olfzstruction has been provided, which is so arranged that th'e irla'terial receiving fcompartm'ent lof 'lthe car-maybe pivotally moved -from 'side to Side, fto facilitate learning Cand discharge Yor the fear, fand that lthis 'arrangement-is :attained by Inounti'n'g the "b'ody fof the car :on ylcontiriuous tread devices iof fa low loverall V.lfrei'ght It inayfuther be fse'en that with the arrangement of shuttle car shown, the usual wells for the wheels in the sidewalls of the car are eliminated, increasing the capacity of the car and the space for compartments for storage batteries or a cable reel and the electrical control equipment for the car, thus making it possible to provide a car of greater power and capacity which may travel longer distances than former shuttle cars of the Wheel mounted type.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be alteredwithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not Wish to be construed as limiting my' invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

. In a mine haulage vehicle of the characterl described, a pair of laterally spaced continuous tread devices for supporting and propelling the vehicle, a rnaterial carrying body mounted on said continuous tread devices for pivotal movel I said continuous tread devices for pivotal moveopposite ends of said tread devices at a relatively fiat angle so the receiving and discharge ends of the bottom of said conveyer are disposed beneath the upper run of said continuous tread devices, to increase the material carrying capacity of the vehicle without increasing the height thereof.

2. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a pair of laterally spaced continuous tread devices for supporting and propelling the vehicle, a turntablemounted on said continuous tread devices, a materiall carrying body mounted on said turntable for movement therewith about a vertical axis, said body being open at its ends and having a pair of paralleLspaced side Walls with a conveyer extending therebetween for the entire length thereof, and opposite ends of said body extending a substantial distance beyond the 3. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a pair of laterally spaced continuous tread'devices for supporting and propelling the Vehicle, a material carrying body mounted 0n ment about a vertical axis, power means selectively operable to turn said body with respect to said continuous tread devices, said body extending beyond the ends of said tread devices a substantial distance and being open at its ends and having a pair of parallel spaced side walls extending for the entire length thereof with a conveyer extending therebetween anddening the bottom of lthe material carrying compartment thereof, and oppositey ends of the bottom of said conveyer being inclined downwardly from the central portion of said body, to dispose the receiving and discharge ends of said conveyer beneath the upper run of said continuous tread.

devices, to increase the material carrying capacity of the vehicle without increasing the height thereof.

4. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open at its ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls extending for substantially its entire length, a conveyer extending between said side walls, a pair of laterally spaced continuous tread devices for supporting and propelling said frame, the mounting of said frame on said tread devices including la turntable, means selectively operable for turning said turntable and conveyerV bypower, and the ends of saidframe and conveyer extending a substantial distance beyond the ends of said turntable, and the bottom of said conveyer being inclined downwardly from the ends of said turntable at a relatively flat angle, to dispose the receiving anddischarge ends of said conveyer beneath the top of said turntable, to increase the material carrying capacity of the vehicle without increasing the height thereof.

, EDWARD J; DOBERSTEIN. 

